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Geez Dictionary.com, tell us how you REALLY feel.

Hey everybody, it's Kindergarten Eve!! Classcorner is set up, curriculum is organized, materials are gathered, new clothes laid out, we are officially ready to go.

I have one student. One little student. And it's my own kid. So why exactly do I feel anxious?

I got a special Homeschool Eve present this morning, courtesy of Dictionary.com, and this amazing find. If you're not a fan of clicking on links, well... then don't. Lemme tell you.

Apparently the Dictionary has no love for us Weirdos. According to their example sentences given under the definition of Homeschool, we are "helicopter parents" doling out "lame propaganda" to create "mindless automaton copies of [ourselves]".

Geez, guys, don't pull any punches. You wouldn't want to hurt anyone's feelings, right? I mean, some of us Automatons may actually USE the internets. Internesto. Interesante. Magic information box.

Moving on.

Apparently, when Dicktionary.com (copyright Me, 2014) was outed for the Dicktionaryish (HOLY COW I'M ON FIRE TONIGHT) behavior, they decided that oops, we should probably change those examples to things that don't call people child abusing psychopaths. So they did. To things like this:

Parentsmayhomeschooltheirchildrenforanumberof reasons.You mean, there are reasons OTHER than creating mindless automatons? No waaaaaay.

Inordertohomeschool, parentsmayneedtodedicateasignificantamountoftimetoschoolingtheirchildren. Well sure, brainwashing children tends to be a full time job!

So, I love it. I love it all. Because after all, that's what Raising Weirdos is all about, right? Propaganda, mindless adherence to an authority figure and set of cultural expectations... waaaaiiit. This is starting to sound a little like...

KIDDING! KIDDING! Meant as a joke! Please don't hate me, friends who have kids in schools. Friends who are teachers in schools. Mom. It was just a kidding.

Point is, it's super easy to poo all over people who make different choices than we do. Everyone can be turned into a caricature. Everyone can be described exclusively by their faults and flaws, and made to look like a super ugly Super Villain. But really, who does that help? We're trying. We're all trying. Our lives, our homes, they're experiments, and we're all making the choices that we think are best. We take our chances, roll the dice, and vow to pay the therapy bills when and if the kids reach college.

So I have understanding and laughter and enjoyment, even for Dictionary.com and their assumption that I am a creepy psychopath parent. Although just the same, don't be too surprised when my lack of spelling ability sends me to Merriam Webster a little more frequently. Merriam Webster: We keep our judgmental opinions TO OURSEEEELVES. Thanks, Merriam Webster!

Have a great night, my friends. I'd better get off to bed soon, after all, I'm starting a new job tomorrow!

I'm a wife and a homeschool mom. I have a super great husband and four of the strangest, most adorable children I've ever personally had the pleasure of meeting. I work with kids with Autism. And I really, really love Jesus. I'm here to share some of that journey, the funny stories, the lessons learned, and all the craziness that comes along the way!